TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the ongoing urban renewal of Port Harcourt City and adjoining towns of the state capital was aimed at returning the city to its Garden City status.
Speaking after inspecting ongoing projects yesterday, Governor Wike said that his administration was committed to reconstructing key roads in the state capital to ease traffic congestion and boost the economy.
He said because his administration was committed to constructing roads that would last.
He said 70 percent of the urban renewal scheme would be handled by a Nigerian-based international construction company.
“We are working hard to return Port Harcourt City to its Garden City status. That is why we have embarked on massive urban renewal across the state capital.
“Seventy percent of the roads under construction will be handled by international construction company, Julius Berger. We are committed to delivering roads that will last for the people of the State,” he said.
On one of the roads under construction near the Polo Club, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said that he would invite the management of the Polo Club to work towards removing the shanties that deface the area.
He said if the management of the Polo Club fails to act, the State Government will be compelled to take tough action.
“We cannot allow the kind of shanties that I am seeing here. I have sent for the President of Port Harcourt Polo Club to come and give them notice to quit,” he said.
Governor Wike said that the Judges’ Quarters has already been completed, while contractors were concluding work on the external services, especially the drainage system.
He said that the Mother and Child Hospital would be completed by the ending of the year. He commended the quality of work done by the contractors.
Governor Wike was accompanied on the project inspection by the State Chairman of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah and Senator Olaka Nwogu.